Hello everyone
I am really excited about the prospect of playing this character entirely froma thematic point. I see a lot of RP potential in this multiclass, especially considering I have settled on worshiping Shelyn.
For me it really turns that trope of being a oily sooty filthy being, into one concerned about the artistry in all things.
While I have certainly got the backstory/RP side of the character pretty well conceptualized. I need assistance in mapping out how best maximise the mechanics available to me.
I am building a character that will likely go from 1 to somewhere between 11&13
Question 1) Musket Master 1/Forgemaster X or Musket Master 5/Forgemaster X
Race = Human
Question 2) Add +¼ point to the gunslinger’s grit points OR Gain 1/6 of a new bonus combat feat.
Worshiping Shelyn
Question 3) What Blessing? Air, Charm, Luck, Good, Protection
*I am thinking Luck to help stop those misfires but, Protection also looks good
Question 4) What other advice might you have for me? Any other build suggestions?
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I think you want at least Musket Master 3 to get the 'Fast Musket' deed and be able to do full iterative attacks. There are other ways to achieve that, but MM 1/FM X wouldn't get you there most of the time.
Grit vs feats somewhat depends on your build, but note that 5/6ths of a feat is... nothing. So, if you planned to stop at MM 5 you wouldn't get anything from that option. That said, if you were going to 6th one more feat is always going to be more useful than one (and a lost 0.5) more grit (e.g. take 'Extra Grit' for two).
I'm not sure what blessings you are referring to... Warpriest? Forgemaster is a Cleric archetype, and only gets the Artificer domain... which would generally rule out Shelyn unless your GM allows it. That said, Artificer domain gives you Mending at will... making Luck to avoid misfires much less crucial.
I'd suggest more levels of Musket Master and/or other full BAB classes if you want to be a primary combatant. There doesn't seem to be much reason to take Forgemaster past 5th unless you want the spellcasting capabilities.
I think you want at least Musket Master 3 to get the 'Fast Musket' deed and be able to do full iterative attacks. There are other ways to achieve that, but MM 1/FM X wouldn't get you there most of the time.
The Fast Musket Deed is not required, the Musket Master gets Rapid Reload as a free feat at level 1
Grit vs feats somewhat depends on your build, but note that 5/6ths of a feat is... nothing. So, if you planned to stop at MM 5 you wouldn't get anything from that option. That said, if you were going to 6th one more feat is always going to be more useful than one (and a lost 0.5) more grit (e.g. take 'Extra Grit' for two).
The reason why I thought level 5 was to get the musket training feature; Dex to damage
I'm not sure what blessings you are referring to... Warpriest? Forgemaster is a Cleric archetype, and only gets the Artificer domain... which would generally rule out Shelyn unless your GM allows it. That said, Artificer domain gives you Mending at will... making Luck to avoid misfires much less crucial.
From the few replies, I should have been clearer. I am referring to the Warpriest Archetype Forgepriest
Did you mean forgepriest warpriest?
I would think so.
Anyways, yes do the warpriest not the gunslinger for your favoured choice. You'll get more out of it.
I do mean the Forgepriest Archetype, that is my fault
I am actually surprised you are considering a ranged combatant and not taking the air blessing. Just getting half of the effect would be worth it, but getting both of: no penalties from distance and not provoke seems to be pretty good for a single ability.
I had never taken a serious look at the Air Blessing until right now, that looks perfect for me
If you want to save yourself from misfires consider that if you want to full attack you are likely using an alchemical cartridge(paper) to reload faster so your misfire is 1-3. So Create Enhanced Firearm + Reliable +1 reduces your misfire to 1s only and Lucky +1 lets you spend 1 grit to reroll a misfire (and gives you a grit point to use for this). Its actually important to have a misfire on a 1 here, as if you had reduced your misfire to 0 you wouldn't get to reroll 1s. However, we are talking about having a +3 weapon.
Eventually I should be able to grab that weapon
fast musket combo with rapid reload is what makes musket master a good archetype. Rapid Reload by itself just makes musket reload as standard action, which isn’t that much better than full turn reloading, you still only shoot every other turn (and only once).I think you want at least Musket Master 3 to get the 'Fast Musket' deed and be able to do full iterative attacks. There are other ways to achieve that, but MM 1/FM X wouldn't get you there most of the time.The Fast Musket Deed is not required, the Musket Master gets Rapid Reload as a free feat at level 1
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You are right, I got turned around with the language. Thanks
Note, the main drawback is shadowshooting reduces rolled damage to the minimum if the target makes an easy will save. While you may be able to make up the ~ -5 damage from this (and another ~ -5 from not getting gun training) with 5 more levels of warpriest, a warpriest 12 is a very different character from a gunslinger 5 / warpriest 7. Warpriest 12 is more resilient and has many more tricks, gunslinger / warpriest works from a lower level and does more damage when it all works.
A few thoughts. Snap shot is of dubious usefulness at best, especially with combat reflexes because you can't reload a firearm when it's not your action except w/shadowshooting (or multiple barrels can bypass this problem), but you still aren't often going to be in a position to take AoOs with a ranged weapon. Hammer the gap is worse on average than a mere +1 damage per shot - really. Sure, when you hit four or five times in a row against the same target in the same round it's slightly better than that, but any miss breaks the chain, as does the end of the round or switching targets.
OTOH you may like quicken blessing at some point. Point blank master is definitely useful. Redirected shot and the stock-striker style line are definitely amusing if not necessarily useful. Defensive feats aren't necessarily a waste.
A few thoughts. Snap shot is of dubious usefulness at best, especially with combat reflexes because you can't reload a firearm when it's not your action except w/shadowshooting (or multiple barrels can bypass this problem), but you still aren't often going to be in a position to take AoOs with a ranged weapon. Hammer the gap is worse on average than a mere +1 damage per shot - really. Sure, when you hit four or five times in a row against the same target in the same round it's slightly better than that, but any miss breaks the chain, as does the end of the round or switching targets.
OTOH you may like quicken blessing at some point. Point blank master is definitely useful. Redirected shot and the stock-striker style line are definitely amusing if not necessarily useful. Defensive feats aren't necessarily a waste.
All great suggestions, regarding Point Blank Master though. Is it worth it if I have the Air Blessing
"Zephyr’s Gift (minor): At 1st level, you can touch any one ranged weapon and enhance it with the quality of air. For 1 minute, any attacks made with the weapon take no penalties due to range. In addition, making a ranged attack with this weapon doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity."
One more thing you could check before the campaign starts is if your GM is amiable to letting you apply Endless Ammunition (+2) to a firearm.
I will see but, that is probably unlikely when I am already saving a lot of coin on crafting my magical armor and weapons
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Now what do people think of these two feats
1) Reckless Aim
2) Penetrating Strike
True, forgot that part of the air blessing - I remembered the ignoring range penalties part. Scratch PBM.
Reckless aim really depends on how much your fellow players would be amused by this.
Penetrating strike - you already have clustered shots, and getting the right ammo isn't hard given your spell list. Not worth a feat.
True, forgot that part of the air blessing - I remembered the ignoring range penalties part. Scratch PBM.
Reckless aim really depends on how much your fellow players would be amused by this.
Penetrating strike - you already have clustered shots, and getting the right ammo isn't hard given your spell list. Not worth a feat.
Any other suggestions for feats?
Empty Quiver Style?
Dodge?
Mobility?
With the pistol-whip deed, empty quiver style is entirely unnecessary. Stock-striker style builds on the deed if you're interested. While you can shoot without AoOs with the air blessing remember reloading also provokes AoOs, you can't just stand there in melee to shoot it's emergencies only. There again beating people over the head with your gun seems like an emergency measure too.
I mentioned defensive feats. They could mean dodge etc. though I'm not a fan of feats which give +1 AC each. Toughness, save boosts, amateur swashbuckler (to get dodging panache to step back out of melee) could be useful.
Ranged disarm might be useful sometimes.
Critical focus and critical feats might be useful, though x4 damage will often be enough without adding more effects to your critical.
Extra fervor might be useful.
I mentioned defensive feats. They could mean dodge etc. though I'm not a fan of feats which give +1 AC each. Toughness, save boosts, amateur swashbuckler (to get dodging panache to step back out of melee) could be useful.
This raises an interesting question. Should I be aiming for a Mithral Breastplate (To be able to benefit from Nimble and Amateur Swashbuckler) or would straight heavy armour be more beneficial?
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And here is a new outline
You're a ranged combatant, dex based. You'll be getting a belt of dex and otherwise raising that stat - heavy armour will not be practical. Not even mithral heavy armour. Eventually even a mithral breastplate will be too heavy.